Whispers in the Night
by CC Novak
Summary: "If two people are meant to be together, what's going to stop them from being together? Nothing changes destiny, even if things don't start or end the way most people want them to."
1. This Is War

**Hello! Well, Christmas break is almost here and I will finally be able to write more! A lot has happened in these past few weeks, I was transferred out of my favorite class and wouldn't face my teacher until yesterday and surprisingly she was nice to me and said I made her day. Guys, if any of yall pray, please pray I am back in that class in January! Anywhoozle, this story idea came from listening to the song If I Never Knew You from Pocahontas, I can't think of the man and woman's name who sings is, but if you listen to it, it's just amazing and beautiful. This is set in season four...I just loved how beautiful Lauren looked in this season and there are some things from season one I added in that I liked...like Niles' hair color. Anyway, I hope you enjoy and reviews and comments and helpfulness keeps me alive! Ta-ta until the end of this chapter!**

* * *

**Chapter One: This Is War**

"I love you." He whispered against her lips.

"I love you to." She replied and then he kissed her. She loved his kisses, they were so tender and caring. She had never been kissed like this before, it may have been because of the fact that all others hadn't meant it like he did. When he pulled away, she gasping for breath. She stared into his light blue eyes, she'd also never seen eyes the color of his before. She placed her hand on his cheek. He placed his hand on hers and smiled his lop sided grin. She laughed a little when she saw it.

Her eyes then grew misty and he looked at her with concern. She shook her head and then the tears began to stream down her cheeks. With a quick move, he rolled over on his back and placed her on top of him. He was now the one looking up and he gently wiped the tears away with his thumb. He could tell by the look in her dark eyes that she was thinking about the past.

"It's alright." He said and she sniffed.

"How?" She whispered as more tears streamed down her face.

"Like I told you, I love you. I love you more than anything in the world." He replied.

She smiled weakly. He then pressed his lips against hers and ran his fingers through her blonde hair. She pulled away and he placed a strand behind her ear that had been hanging in her face. She intertwined her hands with his and kissed him quickly before pulling away again and looking down at him.

"Do you believe me?" He asked.

"Yes, I do." She replied before she bent down and kissed him. Her diamond ring shimmered in the light and its reflection caught her eye. They both looked at it and smiled. A year ago it had been nothing like this, and that is how the story begins...

* * *

_1 Year Ago_

"Fuck. My. Life." C.C. Babcock muttered as she looked out at the rain. She drummed her fingernails on the counter of her Park Avenue penthouse. She really didn't want to go out into this blasted weather, but she had no other choice, Maxwell would definitely need her help today. They had auditions for their new play and if she didn't show up, he'd probably cast that damn Nanny of his if she were to show up.

She grumbled as she walked over to the closet and grabbed her long raincoat before she walked out into the hallway. She then realized she had left her purse and with a stomp of her foot, she walked back inside and just as she was doing so, her phone rang.

"Fantastic." She said before she plastered a fake smile on her face and answered.

"C.C.?" Maxwell's voice asked.

"Who else?" She replied snidely.

"Right, I sent my new butler for you, he should be outside with the limo for you." He stated.

"New butler? What happened to Trevor or whatever the hell his name is." She asked.

"He's dead C.C., you went to his funeral." Oh yeah, right.

"Where did you find a new butler so fast?" She asked as she drummed her fingers on the table.

"That's the thing, I grew up with this one. He's a little bit older than me, but his father worked for mine and seeing as I needed another one, my father sent him to me." He replied.

"You make him sound like a piece of cargo." She said matter-of-factually.

"His name is Niles, I'll see you when he get here!" **Click.** It was as if he hadn't heard a word she'd said. She rolled her eyes and chucked the phone onto the couch, she'd get it later. She went into her bedroom and retrieved her purse before she made her way out the door and to the elevator.

* * *

Niles Brightmore was standing in the lobby of the apartment building soaking wet. When Mr. Sheffield had told him to go pick up his business partner, he had been resistant at first, but when he said it was a woman, he immediately changed his mind. He turned his head toward the sound of the elevator dinging and when he saw who emerged, he was amazed. This had to be the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She must have had something for dark colors, but she wore them well. She was in a navy blue pants suit with the jacket unbuttoned and a white shirt on underneath. She had light blonde hair that went to her shoulders and was tall yes, but she was gorgeous.

"You must be Niles." She said as she gave him the once over. He wasn't bad looking at considering he was drenched. She guessed he was in his mid to late forties and she could tell his hair had been dyed the dark brown color that it was because of the streaks of blonde that were showing. He was clad in stereotypical butler attired, a black suit and tie, and an overcoat, but there was something about him she had never seen before, his eyes. They were a color of blue she'd never seen, they weren't dark enough to be aqua, but they weren't light enough to be sky blue, she decided ice blue was the perfect color name for them.

"Yes ma'am. And you must be Miss Babcock." He held out his hand for her to shake, but all she did as just look at it.

"Of course I am, who else would I be?" She asked snidely.

He awkwardly wiped his hand he'd been holding out on his coat and put it down by his side again. He realized then that this was most definitely a high maintenance woman that wouldn't think of him as anything other than a domestic, but he wasn't going to let her get to him. Hell no way.

"With the way your hair is sticking up, you could be Frakenstein's bride." He replied.

"What?" She asked. She wheeled around and looked at the mirror and saw that a few strands of her hair were standing up. He watched as she tried to fix them the best way she could and he found it funny.

"Come along Babs, time's a wasting!" He called as he turned and began to walk out.

After she was sure she'd fixed her hair, she followed him out, and then she saw what he had done. He had pulled the limo out into the rain. She growled when she heard him blow the horn, she knew then that she was going to hate this man, and she'd only known him about five minutes.

* * *

Ten minutes later, C.C. walked into the theater with Niles following not too far behind, but she was too angry to give a damn. Maxwell turned in his seat and saw her coming and he rose to his feet to greet her, but when he saw what she looked like, he couldn't help but grin.

"You look like a drowned rat C.C." He stated. In reply, she shook her head quickly and sent water flying in all directions. He shielded himself from her and when she looked back at him, the expression on her face made him stop smiling. "What happened?" He asked as he straightened his tie.

"That butler of yours made me walk in the rain! First to get to the limo, and the second time he parked a block away and made me walk again. I think he needs to be dealt with." She said.

"Oh C.C. come now, maybe he couldn't find a place to park both times, and believe me, it's just rain, you should be fine." He then sat back down and she looked at the back of his head with her mouth open. She heard chuckling from behind and she glared at the butler who was sitting in the back. She balled her fist at him and stuck her tongue out, but that just made it worse, he just kept on laughing.

She muttered under her breath as she sat down next to Maxwell and for the rest of the audition process, she was absolutely miserable. She was sure that she would get a cold thanks to that no account butler. She would love to throttle his neck with no remorse, but right now she couldn't do it, there were too many witnesses.

He couldn't help but stare at her, she was just so beautiful. Unlike anything he'd ever seen. He felt this tingly feeling inside that had only happened with one other woman, but he had never told her how he felt and when he was going to, it was too late. She had moved on and found someone else and he had been brokenhearted for the longest time, maybe this would be his chance to move on.

His thoughts then pondered to what C.C. might stand for. Cassandra Chloe? Clarissa Catherine? No no, those names weren't good enough for her. He'd make a way to find out if it killed him. He ran his fingers through his own wet hair and smiled. He was going to have fun with this woman, he already knew how to make her tick and it would be no problem whatsoever to get her to do it. He'd especially enjoy it if she were to reply, but he'd still get her, no matter what she did.

When it was all over, they had chosen everyone they needed and C.C. stomped outside, where the sun was trying to shine through the gray clouds. She had dried out some, but her hair was beginning to curl and she hated when it did that. When she would get back home, she'd have to take a shower for sure and plot the demise of that fucking butler. His very thought made her get even angrier. Right then and there she decided this was war.

* * *

**Well, what do you think? I promise the insults will be better as it goes along. I already have most of this story planned out and sorry this chapter was short, but I worked hard on it, so yay me! Like I said earlier, reviews keep me breathing and I would love some critique from some of the great writers and readers! And if you want to see something happen, let me know! Thank you! And Happy Holidays!**

**Ashton**


	2. This Really Bites

**Chapter Two: This Really Bites**

The hot water from the shower ran down C.C.'s cold body and it felt absolutely glorious. Her still wet clothes were scattered on the bathroom floor as well as her shoes and jewelry, she just didn't give a damn at the moment. All she had cared about was getting warm and this had been the best solution she could think of.

With the scented soap her sister had sent her from Paris, she scrubbed herself off and washed her hair with the shampoo she had sent as well. What a great birthday present. When she was finished, she grabbed the towel that was hanging from the rack and wrapped it around herself and carefully, she stepped out of the shower and crossed to the mirror. She ran her hand over the mirror to wipe away the steam and she cringed when she saw that her hair looked like a large dark blonde fluff ball. She stuck her tongue out at her reflection and then walked into her bedroom where she got into something she rarely wore, jeans and a loose fitting t-shirt.

She grabbed her brush from the dresser and ran it through her hair, yanking about twenty percent of the knots out in the process. As she was drying it, she pondered about what she'd do for the evening. There was nothing good on TV she was certain, and she didn't have many friends, which was by her own doing. After she was sure her hair was completely dry, she settled on reading a book.

Stretching her long legs out in front of her and propping herself up on the armrest, she began to read the Nora Roberts book she'd had forever, but never had started reading until now. It was the story of a jewel thief who takes a business woman with him on his heist and true to good ole' Nora, he fell in love with her and she with him. She rolled her eyes in aggravation when the two main characters began to start the intercourse process and she threw the book on the chair. She folded her arms across her chest and huffed. Why couldn't things like that happen to her? Not the whole kidnapping part, but find someone that would love her for her and not just because she was rich. She'd had a few boyfriends here and there, but they'd been nothing but guys who were looking for a good time, which she'd given them, but not very willingly.

She closed her eyes and tried to imagine what her perfect man would be like. Dark hair, blue eyes, and an accent, just like Maxwell. She snickered as she fantasized about him, but her fantasy was broken quickly when her phone rang.

"Shit." She mumbled as she reached for it and answered with a blank hello.

"Miss Babcock, it is by Mr. Sheffield's request you come to our house this evening for dinner, though I don't know why I couldn't just leave a bowl outside for you." C.C.'s mouth clanged open.

"Now listen here you pathetic excuse for a human being!" She snarled.

"Oh please, is that the best you can come up with?" He shot back.

"I really hate you. I truly do. And normally it takes me a while to hate someone right off the bat." She paused and then remembered Nanny Fine. "Ok, one other person, but still, if you give me any grief this evening, I will-" She was cut off again.

"You'll what? There is nothing you can do that can hurt me. I worked for Mr. Sheffield's father, there isn't anything you can do that would beat him." He replied. "Dinner will be ready at six. You've got twenty minutes." He hung up then and she slammed the phone down on the table. She made a mad dash into her bedroom and found her black turtleneck dress with the short sleeves and put it on. She parted her hair to the side like she normally did and fixed her make-up. She looked at the watch on her wrist and she only had five minutes to get halfway across town. Shit!

* * *

While C.C. was racing around her penthouse, Niles put the phone down and chuckled to himself, he stopped when he heard Maxwell coming down the stairs.

"Ah Niles, did you call Miss Babcock?" He asked.

"Hours ago sir, just as you asked." He lied.

"Good. So old man, how are you adjusting to the United States?" Maxwell asked as he walked into the dining room with Niles following behind carrying one of the silver holders. He placed it on the "buffet table" as Miss Fine had called it before he answered.

"It's interesting. Here, people drive on the right side of the road and the steering wheel isn't on the same side as in England either."

"MR. SHEFFIELD!" Fran Fine's shrill voice echoed through the house and both Niles and Maxwell covered their ears.

"And the women are ten times louder." He added before he walked back into the kitchen. Maxwell sighed before he walked into the living room and there was no sign of her.

"Miss Fine? Where are you?" He called.

"What do you think of this dress?" She asked as she began to walk down the stairs. She was wearing a lovely red dress that sparkled, much like the one she'd worn to the first party she'd been to at this house.

"It's gorgeous Miss Fine, but why are you so dressed up? It's just Miss Babcock." He said as she came closer.

"I just wanted to impress her. I think she has some resentment toward me." She whispered and nodded.

"Oh. That wouldn't surprise me. To be honest, I've never really seen C.C. happy before in my entire life."

"She's probably only happy when she makes other people miserable." Niles stuck his head out the door and said.

"Niles, be nice. You've only been here a few days and you're already on her bad side. I'd be careful if I were you." He replied.

"Please, what can Miss Babcock do that is so harrible?" Fran asked.

"You would seriously be shocked." Maxwell replied before they all walked into the kitchen.

* * *

Everyone was sitting in the dining room twenty minutes later and they all sighed with relief when they heard the doorbell ring.

"That'll be Miss Babcock, Niles." Maxwell said as he straightened his tie.

"Really? I had no idea." He replied sarcastically before he walked out into the living room and hurried to answer the door. He stopped breathing for a moment when he saw how pretty she looked.

"What are you staring at?" She asked while she pushed past him.

"I'm not too sure yet. I was trying to figure that out." She stopped dead in her tracks and stomped her foot.

"Shut up servant!" She half shouted and clenched her fist.

"Or you'll what?" He raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"Ugh!" She then stormed into the dining room, where she took her normal seat next to Brighton.

"Good evening C.C." Maxwell said as he put a napkin in his lap.

"Evening." She smiled. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw something red and shiny. She looked across from her and saw what Nanny Fine was wearing. "Good lord, did..." She tried to think of the little girl across from her's name, but couldn't. "The little one dump her glitter on you?" She asked.

Fran's smile dropped. "No, my cousin designed this." She replied.

"So Maxwell, what did you invite me over for?" She asked sweetly.

"We wanted to keep the neighborhood terror away, but gained another." Niles said as he put her plate down in front of her. She clenched her teeth and looked up at him with an 'I'll kill you' look.

"I just thought it would be a change of scenery for you, you always seem to be alone when I call you." Maxwell said as if he hadn't heard a thing.

"There's a reason for that." Niles mumbled as he walked back to get Fran a plate and Gracie one as well.

"Thank you Maxwell, how sweet." C.C. replied, trying to tune out Niles.

"You're welcome. So children, how was your day?" He asked. For the rest of the evening, C.C. barely said a word, not wanting the butler to have another stab at her. She hated to be teased and picked on, she was already insecure and he wasn't helping matters at all, but something occurred that drove her over the edge.

"So C.C., do you think we have a hit on our hands?" He asked when they were in his office.

"I really do! I actually read this one!" She said enthusiastically and then bit her lip when she realized that she told on herself.

"That's good. Better than Phantom or Cats?" He asked.

"Absolutely!" She lied. Nothing would ever beat those two, unless of course Cameron MacIntosh did something.

"Great! Ah Niles, is there something the matter?" He asked when Niles opened the door. She rolled her eyes and looked at him as well.

"Oh no sir, just coming to check on the puppy." He smiled at C.C. and her mouth dropped open as did Maxwell's. He had never heard something like that from Niles before and just as he was about to say something, he was even more shocked by what came next.

"Oh so I'm a dog now?" She asked. "Fine!" She grabbed his arm and bit down hard on his wrist.

"OW-W-W!" Niles shouted as he yanked his arm away from her and clutched it. He moved his jacket and shirt sleeve up a little and his eyes grew wide when he saw that her teeth had penetrated through both of them. He had two bite marks and blood was starting to come out of the tiny holes she'd left. "Sir! Look what she did to me!" Niles showed him and Maxwell looked at her, she had pulled out her compact from her purse and was reapplying her lipstick like she'd done nothing wrong.

"Niles, I warned you. And C.C. apologize to Niles this instant." He said and she raised her eyebrows at him.

"Why? I was just acting out the part. Those actors we hired aren't the only ones who can get into character!" She shouted as she stood up.

"Well you didn't have to work very hard!" Niles and C.C. then began to shout at the other and when Maxwell had finally had enough he screamed.

"ENOUGH!" The noise made them both look at him with huge eyes. "You two need to stay away from each other for a while I think." He said.

"Agreed. I'll see you in a week." C.C. looked at Niles once more before she grabbed her purse and walked out the door in an angry way.

"Niles, I think you should do something about your wrist." He said as he sat down at his desk and looked through his papers while still fuming.

"Yes sir." He replied sadly. He hadn't meant for it to turn out the way it had. As he walked into the bathroom to rinse off his arm, he regretted doing what he did. Now he'd have to go one entire week without talking to her or seeing her, and knowing his luck, she'd do anything she could to avoid him. Whoops.

"Mr. Sheffield, is everything alright?" Fran asked when she walked into his office in her pajamas.

"Oh yes, everything's just fine." He replied when he looked up at her.

"We heard a lot of shouting, what was going on down here?" She asked.

"Just Niles and C.C., I can already tell that I'm going to be miserable with those two in the same room." He said.

"How was he treating her? Or did she do something first?" She asked as she sat down on the edge of the desk and crossed her legs.

"He did, if you haven't noticed, he's been teasing her pretty much all evening." He said.

"Oh-h-h, I think I know what's wrong with him." She said resting her finger on her chin.

"What?"

"Well, I was watching this show once, and the guy picked on this girl unmercifully, and in the end, he was in love with her the entire time and had been picking on her to show his feelings." She smiled and placed her hands on her hips to emphasize. Maxwell stared at her for just a moment before he broke out into laughter.

"That's a good one Miss Fine, but I think you should stick to reality from now on out." He then went back to his work and Fran gave him one of her famous looks. She shrugged and then left his office to go back to her bedroom. She'd prove someway that she was right, she just knew she was.

* * *

**I just love the name of this chapter, it fit perfectly for both things that happened. I hope the insults were good enough, I came up with most of them on my own, the one about the puppy came from one of the episodes, except Niles called her a dog, but close enough. And the miserable thing was from 'Oy To The World' which I've watched at least sixty times already getting geared up for Christmas! Reviews=Happy C.C.! (My nickname I acquired, fabulous right?) And this page is actually five full pages...wow, new record for Fanfiction pages.**


	3. Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder

**Chapter Three: Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder**

It had been three days. Three whole days since he'd last seen C.C., but it felt like an eternity. She was never off his mind, he felt almost like he was obsessed with her, but that didn't seem like it at all. The feeling he was feeling was love obviously, but like he'd thought before, she'd only think of him as the hired help.

Niles sighed as he buttoned up his shirt. Why had done what he had? Why had she done what SHE had? He looked down at the bandage on his arm and chuckled. He knew he'd have a scar from her teeth marks, but he couldn't help but admit he deserved it.

When he was all dressed, he went downstairs and started breakfast. If there was one thing about this job he hated, it was how early he had to get up. Five AM every single morning, unless he was sick or had the day off, which both were very rare occasions. He decided though this morning that the family would have to just have an easy day, he was too tired to really do anything else, he hadn't slept in two days, surprisingly he thought it was out of guilt, but oh well. Didn't matter that much anyway. He heated up the pop-tarts and when they were all done, he set them in the holder and then set the table with glasses and small plates.

As he did so, he was thinking about her again. God, why wouldn't she just leave him be? It was like a ghost in his mind that would haunt him forever. His thought was broken when the sound of an alarm went off and he knew that soon Mr. Sheffield would be down, followed by the children, and Miss Fine would appear last.

He set out everything and he put his jacket back on before walking out into the dining room to await his employer.

"Good morning, Niles." Maxwell said as he sat down at his normal place.

"Morning sir. Sleep well?" Niles asked. He immediately began to pour the coffee in the cup and then held out the tray of pop-tarts. He grabbed a strawberry one and then Niles set the holder back on the "buffet" table and waited for him to speak.

"Very well. What about you? For the past few days, you've seemed a bit...off." He asked.

"I haven't been sleeping lately sir, I don't know what's wrong with me." He replied.

"Well old man, it's strange to be in a new place, but don't worry, you'll get used to it soon. How's your wrist? I can't believe Miss Babcock did that." He asked pointing to Niles' wrist.

"Oh it still hurts a little sir, but I have to admit it, I kind of brought it on myself." He said raising an eyebrow and clutching his wrist for effect.

"Yes well, now you know not to do it again." Maxwell said.

"Oh yes sir, never again." Niles said with a sarcastic tone. He stepped into his spot beside Maxwell and placed his hands behind his back. Yeah right, like he was going to let her get away with what she'd done. He had a plan already forming in his English head and if it turned out anything like it did in his head, he couldn't wait to see it live.

* * *

"Chastity, are you alright? You seem a little out of your element." D.D. Hand asked as she sat down on the couch next to her sister. D.D. was the carbon copy of C.C., except her hair was cut shorter and her eyes looked even colder, which didn't really fit her persona at all.

"Whatever do you mean? I'm content right where I am." She said as she looked up from her book she was reading.

"Well, you've barely spoken since you've got here, poor Tormund can't even get you to look at him, much less speak to him, what's going on with you?" She asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She looked back down at her book.

"Sis," DD groaned as she took the book from her lap and held it out of her reach as she groped for it. "You act as if someone took away your puppy." C.C. stared annoyingly at the wall. Oh the irony.

"I am just fine! There is nothing wrong with me, now give me back my book!" She said as she sat up on her knees and grabbed at the book again.

"Stop it _petite bebe_!" D.D. shouted in her French accent. They'd inherited their knowing of French from their mother's side, she'd taught them all a little something and she had always called C.C. that, seeing as she _was _the baby of the family. "Now look, you seem to be more annoyed that usual, is it that time of the month again or something like that?" She asked.

"No! I just want to read my damn book!" She screamed. She watched as her sister's face fell into a frown.

"C.C., you have got to tell me what's the matter. Did your boyfriend break up with you?" She asked.

"That's kind of hard to say when you haven't had a boyfriend in a year." She said as she placed her hand under her chin and propped her elbow on her knee.

"Oh, sorry. Please tell me what's wrong though. I'm worried about you."

"All right, fine I'll tell you. Maxwell has this new butler and he is really starting to get on my nerves. He's teased me ever since he met me, saying these horrible things about me, he even called me a dog!" She explained. D.D. nodded for her to go on. "But I got him back, I bit him on his wrist." She smiled proudly and her sister's eyes grew wide.

"You what? Chastity!" She scolded and C.C. just shrugged.

"He started it, that's my argument." She said.

"And that's why you're so pissy? Because of something a servant said?" She asked confused.

"Yeah, as weird as that may sound. It really hurt my feelings." She said.

"I can tell." The front door opened and in walked Tormund, D.D.'s husband.

"Honey!" She said excitedly as she jumped up from the couch and rushed to greet him. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

"Hello dear." He kissed her cheek and smiled down at her and she returned the smile, it made C.C. want to puke. She hated the lovey dovey stuff like that, but she guessed that's what married people did, she'd never seen her parents act that way for the short period she'd seen them married. "And of course hello to my favorite sister in law." He said as he looked over her and smiled at her. She smirked at him and then picked up her book and began to read again.

Tormund sighed and shook his head, he knew C.C. didn't like him very much and he never knew why. He'd always been good to her, but he just never could get her to like him whatsoever. He did know she did like something about him and that was the fact he was not troubled in the money department. His family had been oil tycoons, and when he'd met D.D., or Danielle as he called her more than anything else, he knew he'd found the right person for him. They lived on a ranch in Texas and C.C. couldn't help but love the fact they had horses for her to ride whenever she came, which wasn't very often.

"Sis, how long are you supposed to stay away from New York?" DD asked as she went back to the couch with Tormund following closely behind.

"Just a few more days then I'll be out of your hair for a while." She replied.

"You don't have to leave so soon, we'd love for you to visit for a little longer, it's nice to have family over." Tormund added in and for the first time in a long time, C.C. actually smiled up at him fully.

"Thanks Tor, but I really have to get back to work, I'm sure Maxwell is probably having a spasm because I'm sure Andrew Lloyd Webber has outdone him again." She said as she rolled her eyes.

"Just know our doors are always open for you." He added in and smiled.

"I appreciate that, and I have to ask you two a question," C.C. started and they both nodded. "When am I going to have a niece and nephew to dote on and spoil?" The pair looked at each with wide eyes.

"I had no idea you liked children C.C." D.D. asked.

"I do...I just can never remember their names." She said honestly and they all laughed.

"Hopefully soon, we need someone to leave our business to." Tormund replied.

"Good! Because mummy isn't going to get any children from me." She said.

"Why do you say that? You're what? Thirty-two? You still have time to get married and have children." DD said as she put her hand on her sister's knee.

"I doubt it highly. Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'm going out to the barn., Satan I'm sure has missed me dearly." She smirked as she stood and then walked out the door.

* * *

"Miss Babcock! Did ya have a nice visit with your sister?" Fran asked as she opened the door for C.C. to enter.

"Yes Nanny Fine I did. Where's Maxwell?" She asked.

"He's in his awfice. You have no idea how we missed ya!" She said as she rushed after her.

"Is that pathetic excuse for a human being still here?" C.C. asked as she stood outside the office door. She was startled when the door opened and out walked the very man she had just been talking about. She narrowed her eyes at him and he did the same at her.

"Servant." She hissed.

"Miss Babcock." He replied.

"What? No insult?" Her face softened.

"Not at this moment, believe me, you'll get what's coming to you." He smiled and then walked off, leaving Fran with her lips pressed together tightly and a very nervous and wide-eyed C.C.

* * *

**So was this chapter better than the last? I made C.C.'s sister nice because we never really heard much about her so maybe she could have been nice. I have no idea why I chose the name Tormund for her husband, but it just sounded like a dignified name haha. Like I said before, reviews make me want to update even faster, so please be kind! And let me know if you want me to change anything, I would love all the help I can get from you fantastic writers and readers!**

**Ashton**


	4. Paint It Black

**Chapter Four: Paint it Black**

A month had passed since Niles' warning in the hallway and no one had ever seen C.C. so paranoid before. Anytime she heard something fall, she had to turn and look behind her and don't even think about putting a hand on her shoulder, because she'd probably jump about three feet in the air if you did. Niles could not fathom how much he was enjoying this. He still would insult her from time to time, but he knew that soon he would get the chance he was looking for to really nail her.

Maxwell and C.C. were working diligently on a new show they were going to produce when Niles came knocking and C.C. cringed when she saw it was him.

"Sir, I need to ask you a question about something." He asked as he stood in front of the desk with his hands behind his back.

"What is it old man?" Maxwell asked as he looked at him over the rim of his glasses.

"Why is it that _I _am the one repainting my room? Shouldn't we hire someone who knows what he is doing?" He asked.

"Niles, if you want to hire someone to do your work, that is fine with me, but remember I'm the one who paid for all that paint...why did you choose black anyway?" Maxwell asked.

"So if the vampire were ever to come in my room, she'd never find me." He said pointed at C.C. She gritted her teeth and slammed her hand down on the desk.

"You know something?" She started off, but when she saw that smirk appear on his face, she got worried and just let it go.

"Niles, be nice. Now if you'll excuse us, we have some work that we need to handle." He replied and Niles nodded.

"Yes sir." He turned on his heel and walked out, and she couldn't help but sigh with relief.

"C.C., are you alright? You are a little tense lately around Niles." He said as he signed a slip of paper.

"Yes, I'm just a little concerned about something Niles told me about a month ago." She admitted and he looked up again.

"What did he say?"

"He told me that I'm going to get what's coming to me, and I have no idea what he is talking about."

"Oh don't worry about that, he said that to me all the time when we were children, and I turned out just fine." He smiled. C.C. then looked at the gray streak in his hair and then shifted to where she could look out into the living room where Nanny Fine was sitting on the couch watching her soap opera, yeah, he totally didn't get what was coming to him at all.

There was a loud bang and then a shout. Both looked at the direction of the door and Maxwell rose to his feet.

"That was Niles! I'd better go see if he's alright." Maxwell was about to come out from around his desk when C.C. stopped him.

"I'll go. Wait here." She said and then she proceeded down the hall to his room.

* * *

Niles rubbed his foot gently and looked down at his nightstand angrily. Damn thing! How is it that at night he would always miss it when he got out of bed, but during the day, he seemed to hit it every chance that came to it. It was out to get him, he knew it was.

He looked around at his room and saw that it was beginning to look a lot better, he didn't even know why he'd chosen black, it just seemed like the right color he supposed. He shrugged and then looked at his door, all he needed to do was above it and then he could focus on the door itself. The ladder was near the cracked door, where the bucket of paint was on top of it. He nodded and then walked into his closet to get another brush he had because his other one was getting worn out.

Just as he was getting ready to go back into the bedroom, he heard the door squeak open, a bang, and then a scream. He rushed out quickly and covered his mouth to stifle his laughter. Before him stood his "arch nemesis" Miss Babcock, but uh, she wasn't exactly normal. Black paint was dripping from all over her onto the floor and she was holding out her right arm while her left hand was on her head where apparently the bucket had hit her. Niles walked over slowly and wiped the black paint away from her eyes and she blinked when she saw him. He smiled at her and then said,

"You look like the creature from the black lagoon." She began to shake in anger and then before he knew it, her fist connected with his cheek and he fell backward. He clutched onto the bed post to keep from falling onto his bed and he frowned when he saw his hand print on the post.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" She screamed as she shook her head quickly to get the black paint from her hair, it didn't help much. "YOU FUCKING SON OF A BITCH! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" She screamed louder.

"Why? I didn't do anything wrong!" He shouted back in his defense.

"LOOK AT WHAT YOU DID! YOU DID THIS ON PURPOSE!" She moved her hands to show him. He already saw that she was covered from head to toe in paint.

"You match your suit, you should be happy!" He retorted.

"OH SHUT UP! AND STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM ME! IF YOU COME NEAR ME AGAIN I WILL SEE YOU THROWN IN JAIL!" She then stormed from the room and didn't even notice that Fran and Maxwell were standing in the hallway. They both looked at each other when she stomped past them. They rushed to Niles room to find him standing there in the middle of his room with his mouth hanging open and a surprised look on his face. Fran was going to walk in the room when Maxwell grabbed her arm. He pointed to the floor and she nodded in response.

"Niles? What happened?" She asked as she stepped over the bucket and paint that was splattered on the floor.

"I-I-I." He stuttered, but the was just too shocked to say anything.

"What is it old man?" He asked as he repeated Fran's movements to get around the paint.

"I had the paint on the door and it fell on her when she came in." He pointed to the door that was now open and then the paint.

"What was she screaming about? We couldn't make out her words, she was way too loud." Maxwell asked.

"She said she was going to have me thrown in jail sir if I came near her again." He replied as he looked at the floor. Fran then noticed what was wrong with him. He really hadn't meant for that to happen to her, but it had and she'd reacted in the worse possible way and her intuition was right, he didn't hate her as much as everyone thought.

"Niles, give her time to calm down. I'm sure she didn't mean what she said at all. She just has a horrible temper that's all." He explained.

"Yes sir, now if you don't mind, I'd really like to clean this up." He said and then he more or less pushed them out the door and then shut it sadly.

"Mr. Sheffield, I feel really bad about what happened to Miss Babcock, but, my heart goes out more to Niles. I think...I think he likes her." She stated and Maxwell raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not sure Miss Fine, I'm not sure." He then walked back to his office and Fran went back to the living room, but she couldn't watch her show, she just wanted to think for a while.

* * *

She must have washed her hair a grand total of five times before all of the black came out. She definitely knew for sure now that black was just not her color. C.C. brushed the tangles out of her hair as she sat in the bathroom facing the mirror. She looked at her reflection and saw that the redness she'd had from scrubbing so hard was subsiding, as well as the red in the anger she'd acquired earlier. God how she wished she'd beat the living hell out of him, why hadn't she? She still couldn't believe he'd done that, but the way he looked at her when she screamed at him looked as if it had shaken him to the very core, which is exactly what she'd been going for. She smiled her infamous smile and blow dried her hair.

When she was finished, she flipped her hair over and ran her fingers through it, trying to straighten the best way she could. She was startled by a knock at the door and she made a face towards her bedroom.

"What in hell?" She asked as she tied the tie on her robe. All she had on was that and her underwear, she hadn't had time to get in her pajamas yet.

She walked into the living room and peeked through the eye hole on the door and she let out a groan when she saw who it was. It was Niles.

"What do you want?" She asked.

"I want to tell you that I am sorry and explain something to you." He said and she rolled her eyes.

"What could you possibly have to say to me? What did I tell you earlier? Hm?" She asked.

"I know you didn't mean what you said Miss Babcock, but please, give me a chance to at least redeem myself." He pleaded.

"Why should I?" She asked.

"Because you know you want to hear it." He said and then she looked at the floor. She really did want to hear what he had to say, urgh. Damn her luck.

She unlocked the door and opened it, turning her back to him and walking to the kitchen area. "You have five minutes, make it good." She said and he walked in and shut the door behind him.

Her back was to him as she grabbed a water bottle from the fridge and he grinned his teeth. He saw that all she was wearing was that robe and oh my God, he had never seen anything more beautiful in his life. She wasn't even wearing make up and she still looked good. He never realized how skinny she was until he saw how the robe was tied around her waist.

"You ever gonna get going there Butler boy?" She asked as she took a sip from the bottle.

"Um yes, I just wanted to say first off that I am sorry for the paint bucket falling on you and I swear, I had no idea that you were going to walk in there at that time." He started.

"Ok, anything else?" She asked as she sat down on the stool and motioned for him to come to the counter. She propped her elbow on the counter and rested her chin in her palm.

"And that I'm glad all the paint came off..." He added because he couldn't think of anything other than how pretty she looked.

"Yeah, me too, black is just not my color." She said.

"Then why do you wear it so much?" He asked sincerely, but she didn't take it that way.

"Because that's just who I am, and I meant my hair dumbass. You know it's cracks like that that make me hate you so much, why do you throw them at me constantly? I'd never done anything wrong to you when we first met and you started doing that to me, why?"

"Oh don't you get it yet? You're supposed to be smart! Can't you see what I'm trying to tell you?" He placed his hands on the table and then wished he hadn't started this because she was now looking at him with those dark blue eyes with anger again.

"What? What are you trying to tell me? To commit suicide?" She asked as she placed her hands in the same position he had his, but not too close to his.

"I'm trying to tell you...to tell you..." He couldn't finish and she let out an aggravated sigh. She went to turn away, but he grabbed her hand and held it. She turned her head and looked at him with a perplexed look. "I'm trying to tell you that I love you."

* * *

**Sorry for the cliffie, but I had to do it because I adore them so. Well, he finally told her, how do you think she'll react? Think she'll be mad or not? You'll just have to wait and see! Ha! ReviewReviewReview because I love feedback. I really and truly do. Oh! And Happy Holidays and a very Happy New Year from Southeast Georgia! (:**

**Ashton**


	5. How Did You Know

Chapter Five: How Did You Know

_**You found me **_

_**When no one else was looking**_

_**How did you know**_

_**Just where I would be?**_

* * *

"You...you what?" She asked.

"I love you. Can't you see that?" He replied.

"No, you teased me all the time and, and..." She stopped when the realization kicked in.

"I teased you because that's my way of showing affection, please Miss Babcock, believe me." He said. She looked deep into his eyes and knew he wasn't lying. She wet her lips and bit her bottom lip. She then noticed that he had a bruise under his left eye, that must have been where she hit him, she hadn't really looked, she just swung.

"Oh my God! I am so sorry!" She said as she released her hand from his and touched the place gently. He flinched when she touched it, but he loved how gentle she was and how soft her touch felt. He was then surprised when she felt her thumb slide slowly down his cheek and then she outlined his bottom lip with it. She then put her hand on his cheek and pulled his face closer to hers. When they were just inches apart, she whispered, "Kiss me." He pressed his lips to hers and kissed her. She had never been kissed quite like this before. It was sweet and slow, the other guys she'd kissed were nothing like this. Something was different about Niles, even though at first she had hated his guts, now she didn't want him to stop kissing her, or loving her, if he'd really meant what he said.

When they pulled away, both their eyes were wide. She had to blink a few times to get her composure back and he was trying to catch his breath. It was a few moments before either one of them could speak, all they could do was look into each others eyes.

"I love you Niles." C.C. said finally and he couldn't help but sigh with relief.

"I really do love you C.C. Babcock, no matter what I do or say to you, I really love you." He smiled, as did she. She wrapped her arms around his neck and she felt him snake his around her waist. She rested her forehead against his and closed her eyes. Through her mind flashed images of Colin, Chandler, Cody, and Cameron, but she couldn't pick out a single thing they were good at, except for lying to her. They all had said they loved her, but she had known it was just to get her to sleep with them and out of desperation, she had caved in, just like she had when she was a teenager to the first boy who showed her attention. Then something else came into her mind, the way her parents had fought when she was younger and how they'd divorced and forced her and her siblings back and forth between the two houses. She then shook her head and released her arms from his neck and removed his from her waist.

"No, I-I can't do this." She said as she stepped away and walked toward the window. She stared out at the New York City skyline. She then looked down to the street below her, oh how many times she'd wanted to just open the double windows and fall to the ground below, leaving this horrible form of existence behind her. She then felt Niles' hands on her shoulders she gasped at his touch. She watched their reflections as he moved a small bit of her robe away and her right shoulder was bare to him. He placed a light kiss on her shoulder and then rested his chin on it, and he wrapped his arms around her waist once more, he wasn't really sure how she'd react and he was shocked when she didn't resist.

"Look at what you see before you. Not outside the window, but the reflection you see. I can see the tears in your eyes already and I know why. You're thinking about the life you once had, but I swear, you don't have to make the mistakes your parents made, you don't even have to forget your past with me, but just know I'll be here for you if you ever need me." He said. The tears then began to slide down her cheeks. She bowed her head and covered her eyes with her hand. She hadn't cried in so long that it actually felt good. She placed her free hand on the length of his arm and he kissed her shoulder again. He held her tightly and let her sob, he knew this was the only way she'd be the person she truly was. Not a mean and horrible woman, but inside he knew she was just a frightened little girl that was waiting for someone to let her be released.

"Niles, will you stay the night with me, please?" She cried and he nodded.

"I will, now come on, you need some sleep." He took her hand and she pointed to where her bedroom was. He led her there, and he could still hear her crying behind him, but he could tell she was trying to keep it silent.

He helped her lie down and even tucked her in like she was a child, she laughed at this and admitted to him she'd never been tucked in before and that it was funny seeing as how she was in her thirties. When he went to go out into the living room, she sat up quickly and grabbed his hand. He turned and looked at her and he could see that the little girl was now out in her eyes. He tried to imagine what she must have looked like, she had blonde hair and blue eyes for sure, but she did not have a smile on her face, her face was full of sadness and anger that would show later on in her life and make her who she was today.

"Will you stay with me until I go to sleep?" She asked. He smiled a small smile.

"Sure." He replied as he sat down on her bed.

"Come lie down next to me." She said and he did so. She curled up next to him and rested her head on his chest. He ran his fingers through her hair and then kissed her forehead.

"Good night Miss Babcock." He whispered.

"C.C." She replied sleepily.

"Good night then...C.C." He rested his head on hers and within an instant, she was already fast asleep, but he couldn't move, she had her arms linked around his waist, so he just stayed the entire night with her, it was the least he could do.

* * *

When C.C. awoke the next morning, she saw that Niles was gone. She sat up and rubbed her head, trying to think if it was a dream or not. She knew it wasn't when she looked over at the nightstand and saw there was a note with her name written on it. When she opened it she read that he was sorry he had to leave, but he had to get to work but that he would see her later on, knowing that she'd be back at Maxwell's sometime that day.

According to her alarm clock, it was eleven in the morning. Her eyes widened and then she rushed into the bathroom to grab a shower before she went anywhere. She quickly washed her hair and herself, then when she was finished, she walked into her closet and looked through her suits. She thought about wearing a black one, but she shook her head and grabbed her yellow fleece jacket with a white short sleeve shirt to wear underneath, and a pair of blue jeans that she had never worn any other place than at her sister or brother's house as well as her own. When she finished drying her hair, she put it up in a ponytail, and applied her make up, she then saw how much her eyes were shining. She smiled at her reflection for the first time in a long time and then she left to go to Maxwell's house, sure she had some things to get done with him, but she wanted to see Niles again as well.

"MISTA SHEFFIELD! MISS BABCOCK IS HERE!" Fran yelled and C.C. covered her ears and cringed.

"Thank you for announcing me Nanny Fine." She said sarcastically.

"Ya welcome! I was just on my way out to see Ma and Grandma Yetta with the kids. COME ON YOU GUYS!" She yelled and the three Sheffield children came down the stairs with rather glum looks on their faces.

After they all left, Maxwell finally came down the stairs and he greeted her with a kiss on the cheek and hug. "Are you feeling any better?" He asked as he placed a hand on her back and they walked to his office.

"Yes, very much so." She replied as she sat down on "her" couch as she called it.

"Please don't be angry with Niles, he just loves to tease people, my God I can't recall all the times he teased me when we were younger." He said. He stared off for a moment as flashbacks entered his mind and then he shook his head quickly to be rid of them.

"Don't worry, I'm not." As if on cue, Niles then entered the room with the house phone in hand.

"Miss Babcock, your mother is on line two and believe me, by the way she sounds, I don't doubt she is." C.C. snatched the phone from him and gave him an evil stare. He winked at her before he turned around to tell Maxwell something, but C.C. tuned them out when she put the phone to her ear.

"Hello?" She said.

"Chastity! How are you?" She sounded chipper, what had Niles meant when he'd said that she was like her?

"I'm fine, how are you?" She asked.

"I'm just great! I was going to ask, would it be ok if I came and visited you for a few days? This California heat is driving me insane and I know that it's cooler in New York." C.C.'s head dropped and she averted her eyes upward to look at the ceiling. Why was it her mother picked her to be the one to visit when one of her boyfriends left her?

"Sure mummy, whenever you want to." She said as she bowed her head and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Oh thank you sweetheart! Does Friday sound alright to you?" B.B. asked.

"Yeah, sounds fine to me." C.C. replied.

"I'll see you then!" Then the dial tone played in her ear. She sighed as she handed the phone to Niles and stood.

"My mother's coming the day after tomorrow." She said blankly.

"Isn't that a happy occasion C.C.?" Maxwell asked.

"Not really. My mother and I barely see each other and the only time she calls is because one of her boyfriends has left her." She explained.

"I'm sorry that it has to be that way C.C., why didn't you just tell her not to come? You could have said you were sick or something like that?" He asked.

"I'm not a liar." She said.

"Since when?" Niles exclaimed and she shot him another look.

"Shut up Niles, I didn't ask for your opinion, and please, you're a better liar than I am." She said and when she saw his face fall, she knew that she shouldn't have said that. "Niles, I'm sorry, I didn't mean that." She said as she touched his arm. He looked at her hand and then back up to her.

"Excuse me sir, I have some things I have to get done. Good day Miss Babcock." He walked from the room and C.C. wanted to kick herself, but she pretended not to let it bother her, Maxwell though could see right through her.  
_

"C.C., is there something that you want to tell me?" He asked after a few hours of her saying absolutely nothing except for the occasional 'Yeah' or 'That's fine'.

"It's nothing I promise. Nothing at all." She lied.

"I know you're lying, what happened between you and Niles last night?" He asked. She looked at him questioningly.

"How did you know that," She was stopped by him holding up his hand.

"I knew he went to see you, I saw him leave and he didn't come back until earlier this morning." He replied and she nodded.

"He came to my apartment to apologize. And he...he...he told me he loved me. He always had." She said. Maxwell nodded and sighed.

"And what did you tell him?" He asked.

"That I loved him back and he kissed me as well, but I'm afraid Maxwell." She said and he looked at her confused.

"Of what? If two people are meant to be together, what's going to stop them?" She shook her head and looked at the floor.

"My parents, my siblings, they wouldn't want me to marry someone beneath me." She said just before she looked at the floor and began to cry.. He sighed and squatted down in front of her.

"Look at me." He said as he put his finger on her chin and lifted her face to look at him. "Don't listen to what other people tell you. If I had done that, I would never be where I am now, nor would I ever have married Sarah. You listen to what your head and your heart tell you and believe me, you'll be a lot better off. Do you understand?" She nodded and he did to. He then hugged her and held her for a few moments. He'd never seen her cry before, he'd never even imagined her being like this, but he had found that when she did cry, it was pitiful, and that he'd help her and Niles no matter what the future held.

* * *

** I seriously need to stop making C.C.'s mom sound like a bitch...C.C. was really mean to her in one ep, can't think of which one it is, so her mom could have been really nice or whatever and she could have been the bitch of her three children...anyway, I hope this chapter was sweet enough for y'all. I made Maxwell sweet to because of the fact he seems that way when C.C. is down and out. And of course...Niles is just sweet anyway...-nods off into dreamland- Ok I'm back. Thank you for the reviews and keep doing it, they make me smile! :D Oh! And the line is by Kelly Clarkson from her song You Found Me**


End file.
